So Street Fighter V is finally out and when the servers are up we’ve all been playing it. You’d have to be hidden under a rock not to know about the lack of an arcade mode, and restricted Story Mode so is it worth playing now? Here are my thoughts.

I’m not a social gamer, but I also understand that the way we play games is changing. If anything I’m pushing myself to move into the multiplayer world and do it on my own terms. This is where Street Fighter V works well… mainly because it is one hell of a fighting game! It also reminds me, why I fell in love with the Street Fighter franchise so many years ago (going back to the years when it was big on the SNES).

Loading up Street Fighter VI was instantly reminded of just how I am more more of a “casual” Street Fighter, fan I am and have been for many years. I’ve actually played most of the games but my problem was I just didn’t want to go into the world of online multiplayer where I’d be made to look like a fool (I don’t like to lose). Loading up the game last night though, I had a few fights and suddenly realised what I was missing. Or maybe what Street Fighter V brings to the fight..?

To get used to the game I’ve gone through the Story Mode (or to be more exact the prologues) which are eccentric little mini-stories that last about four fights. They are easy to do, and give an introduction into just who the new characters are. The problem here is that there just isn’t enough, and we’ll have to wait until around June until we finally get the main story mode. Chances are this won’t feel enough too when it arrives, which will be a shame if true.

The other side of the single player experience is the Survival Mode, and it is here where you get to play around with the characters more. This is where I was able to practice with the characters and find the ones I feel strong with. An example of this would be F.A.N.G. Although he doesn’t fit my style of fighting, I want to learn this character and know all his moves, and how best to use him. He’s one of the most eccentric characters and has a lot of potential. In truth though the characters that tend to fit me are Rashid, Ryu, Vega, and Ken. This may seem boring to some fans of the game, but for me they work.

The problem with Street Fighter V right now is that it is unfinished; but this was Capcom’s plan. Street Fighter V is said to be more of a “service” than a full game. It will be added onto in the coming months and there is a planned program of updates all set to come to the game. This plan in some ways appears to clash with the instant gratification that we as gamers want, but in the end it may prove fruitful for Capcom. The problem is going to be the wait that we have until this comes to fruition. (See the Capcom “plan” below – click to enlarge).

So the question is going to be when should you buy Street Fighter V? My gut instinct is that from reviews, many gamers may hold off. Hard-core fans will have the game already and be practising on it and building up experience. I’m not a hard-core fan by any means, but I took the dive and I did not regret it at all. It is questionable whether this should have been released as a full priced game or not and that is harder to defend. When there are plenty of free upgrades coming though, the true pay-off from Street Fighter V is still to come.

So in the end the simple fact is Street Fighter V is a very good fighting game and full of potential. The problem is that the potential will only come when the updates come, and that starts next month. I know I’ll be sticking with the game in the long run though I can understand why some may not. As it stands now, Street Fighter V is a very good “service” that will allow for some classic matches, but as a game it may leave many wanting more than they will [ever] see.